Thelma's Camellias
Camellias Add Color to Fall and Winter Gardens
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It's difficult to resist the allure of camellias. With their colorful blooms offset by shiny, evergreen leaves, camellias put on a colorful show each year from late fall to early winter.
Thelma Mercer, who owned Mercer's original 14.5 acres with her husband, Charles, planted many camellias between the 1930s and the 1970s. While beautiful and hardy, many of Thelma's original camellias, including White by the Gate, Professor Sargent, and Purple Dawn, died over the years and were replaced by Mercer staff. The three remaining varieties, the early autumn-blooming sasanqua, Maiden's Blush, and the later blooming japonicas, Debutante and Fannie Bolis, grow near a pond by the Mercer staff building, where the Mercers’ homestead once sat.
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Discover Something New During Mercer's Pollinator Festival and Plant Sale |
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Pollinator migration season is nearly here!
Show your love of these beneficial insects by attending the Fourth Annual Pollinator Festival and Plant Sale on Saturday, Oct. 2, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mercer Botanic Gardens, 22306 Aldine Westfield Road in Humble.
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Shop plants that attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators to your garden. The Mercer Society’s (TMS) Pollinator Plant Sale features host and nectar plants, including blue mistflower, purple coneflower, cardinal flower, Texas lantana, and scarlet tropical sage.
Create a stunning home habitat for monarch butterflies by planting a wide variety of Texas native milkweed, including zizotes milkweed, green milkweed, aquatic milkweed, swamp milkweed, and antelope horns. Bring other local and migrating species to your yard by adding Texas native host plants. False nettle attracts red admirals and queens, spicebush lures spicebush swallowtails, and maypop brings gulf fritillaries.
Mercer Botanic Gardens is a Harris County Precinct 4 Parks facility one mile north of FM 1960 at 22306 Aldine Westfield Road in Humble.
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by Valerie Depew
Harris County Master Gardener
Experienced gardeners often say that the September and October weather is their reward for the July and August heat. I couldn't agree more. The pleasant weather and lower nighttime temperatures of fall mean we have a second chance to evaluate, plan, and prepare our landscapes.
One thing to do now is to inspect your garden to see how it weathered the summer sun. Which plants thrived? Which plants succumbed to the heat and humidity? Where has excess water or dry soil taken a toll? Take into consideration areas that you will need to rework. Adding fresh mulch or compost to these areas before planting anything new will help enrich the soil and prepare for the winter ahead.
Autumn is also the perfect time to remove spent annuals, replace old perennials, and add new plants to the landscape. Perennials and shrubs are ideal for fall planting. They will have time to establish a strong root structure before the chill of winter arrives and grow more robust next spring. If you want to make more of your favorite plants, fall is the time to divide perennials and propagate semi-hardwood cuttings.
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When adding seasonal color, choose annuals like dianthus, pentas, zinnias, calendula, aster, and salvias that can bridge the gap from warmer to cooler seasons. Natives such as Gregg's mistflower, blackfoot daisy, and pink skullcap perform well in the garden and provide nectar-rich food sources for pollinators.
Herbs are also perfect for Harris County area fall gardens. Cooking staples like thyme, rosemary, sage, parsley, and lavender respond well to slightly cooler temperatures. If you're looking for less common herbs, consider planting deliciously tart sorrel to add a new dimension to your herb garden and meal planning.
Most importantly, while planning your fall landscape, make sure to slow down and enjoy the garden. It will help keep you in tune with the needs of your yard and plants. We can learn so much from simply stopping and watching nature unfold.
Come out and see us at the Harris County Master Gardener tent at Mercer's Pollinator Festival and Fall Plant Sale on Saturday, Oct. 2. Our tent will be in the plant sale area. We'll be available to answer your gardening questions from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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Unleash Your Creativity
Pollinator Container Gardens
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Attracting more butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds to your backyard doesn't have to be complicated or time-consuming.
Pollinator container gardens are exciting to design, simple to create, and bursting with nectar to feed hungry pollinators around the yard, patio, deck, or balcony.
To get started, follow the ideas below. You'll be rewarded with color, fragrance, and close-up views of garden wildlife.

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Garden Cruisin’ Tour de 4
Friday, Oct. 15, at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.
Friday, Oct. 29, at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.
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Join us on a leisurely one-hour cart tour. There is a maximum of four people per tour. Registration is required at hcp4.net/mercer/events. Ages 60 and older, or anyone 12 or older with mobility needs. |
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Volunteer Orientation
Tuesday, Oct. 19, 6 p.m. – 7 p.m.
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Discover a plethora of volunteer opportunities available at Mercer Botanic Gardens. This program is off-site at Timber Lane Community Center, 1904 Naplechase Crest Drive in Spring. Registration is required at hcp4.net/mercer/events. Online registration begins on Monday, Sept. 20, at 9 a.m. For more information call 713-274-4160. |
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Beyond Bees
Friday, Oct. 22, 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
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Bee-come fascinated with local bees as staff and volunteers lead a tour through Mercer’s East Side Gardens. Learn about resident colonies of carpenter bees and honeybees, their critical role in the environment, and Mercer’s conservation efforts through holistic gardening practices. Meet in front of the Visitor Center at Mercer’s East Side Garden. Must be 6 or older. A parent or guardian must accompany children. This is an outdoor event, so participants should dress for the weather. Registration is required at hcp4.net/mercer/events. Online registration begins on Wednesday, Sept. 22, at 9 a.m. For more information, call 713-274-4160.
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Celebrate Bats!
Saturday, Oct. 23, 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.
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Celebrate Bat Week 2021 at Mercer! Join the fun as you learn about the importance of bats in the environment. Explore the garden to find plants that bats visit in their native habitats. Visitors can listen to bat sounds, view a bat skeleton, visit the Baldwin Boettcher Library bat-themed book corner, and more. Recommended for those 6 and older. A parent or guardian must accompany children. This is an outdoor event, so participants should dress for the weather. Registration is required at hcp4.net/mercer/events. Online registration begins Thursday, Sept. 23, at 9 a.m. For more information, call 713-274-4160.
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Local Snake Identification
Saturday, Oct. 30, 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.
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Can you identify the types of snakes that call the Texas Gulf Coast region home? Join herpetology enthusiast Mike Howlett to learn snake safety and how to identify local snakes. Live snakes may be present for up-close viewing. This program will be off-site at the Timber Lane Community Center, approximately two miles from Mercer at 1904 Naplechase Crest Drive in Spring. Registration is required at hcp4.net/mercer/events. Online registration begins Thursday, Sept. 30, at 9 a.m. For more information, call 713-274-4160.
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Please adhere to all park and program rules and consult CDC guidelines for COVID-related social distancing, group sizes, and face coverings. |
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A Message From
Commissioner R. Jack Cagle
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Thank you for reading this edition of Leaflet. I hope you learned something new about the services, activities, and programs Mercer offers to the community.
Please stay tuned for our next issue to learn more about Mercer events, activities, and news!
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